Guilty Pleasure
What’s your guilty pleasure? Is it vain, or selfish even? Would people judge you if they knew what it was? Is it fun?
There are a plethora of things that makes me happy in this life, and one of them is is creating content.
Taking a good photo puts me on a high. It’s something that I’m good at, and can do effortlessly. overtime, I’ve learned my angles, and what works for me.
Yes, there is instant gratification in sharing good content with your peers, but aren’t we talking about guilty pleasures here?
On a serious note, I create content for people that aspire to be their authentic selves online and in real life. I daydream about the days where I’ll make money off of my ability to influence alone. Let’s get real, social media isn’t going anywhere, and instead of running away from it, I think we should all learn how to use it wisely.
Something that I never admit out loud is my love for creating content. If you know me, you know that I’m always picture ready, even when I’m not ready. This has been a fact since I was a child. This shoot was very last minute. I didn’t have an outfit, but I just couldn’t miss the opportunity to get a good picture off in a cool location. Some of my favorite moments are reviewing photos with my photographers, and seeing myself from their point of view.
Photographs are a form of artistry, and the most precious thing about them is that they have the ability to stop time. The day of this shoot, I remember building a bond with a few of my coworkers who also happen to be content creators. We made this abandoned station ours, and used our surroundings to the best of our ability. This was my first time having to shoot in a location that challenged me. The trains were massive, and we had to climb up to get inside. It was also freezing this day, but I doubt you could tell by looking at the pictures.
I come from a generation where content is king, and can admit that it’s a struggle finding a happy medium between being open, and knowing what to keep to myself. For now, my pictures represent a big part of who I am, and helps me express those emotions I have a hard time verbalizing. Working with photographers that make me feel comfortable in my skin is so important. It makes it easier to try new things.
For this shoot, I worked with my friend Byron aka @_TheyCallmebeans on instagram
My confidence isn’t rooted in my photos, but it helps to boost that confidence that’s already in me.
See there’s this unsaid complex that the less you show, the cooler you are. But I think that if your content is uplifting, inspiring, or can encourage someone to change their life, then you should share it.
The reasons I love taking photos are that they:
Evoke emotion- You ever sat and looked at old pictures of yourself and your loved ones, and smiled to yourself, or even cried. Photographs have the power to do that. Sometimes we float through life, not taking a moment to allow ourselves to feel anything.
2. Create Memories- Pictures aren’t important until that's all you have left of someone or a moment
3. Tell a story- “There is one thing a photo must contain-the humanity of the moment”- Robert Frank. You can always look back at a picture and think about exactly where you were in your life. Were you happy? Depressed? Indifferent?
4. Connect you to your past- Looking at old pictures of myself and my family helps to keep me grounded. One of my favorite pastimes is looking at old pictures of my mom in Costa Rica, and imagining what it was like growing up on the country side.
Rich.
Sandragon.
My Advice:
If you love taking photos like me, make sure to find people that won’t be annoyed when you stop to take a photo, or ask them to take a photo of you. It’s important to remember that your family and sometimes even your closest friends aren't the people who’ll be patient with you when you’re taking pictures.
This doesn’t mean they don’t love you, it just means they don’t understand the vision! Find your content tribe, and run with them!
Ellie.
“Taking pictures is like tip toeing into the kitchen late at night and stealing Oreo cookies”